Royal coachman - glass scepter

[Marilyn Weeber]

My great grandfather was named Anders Gustaf Andersson, but his name changed to Anders Ekstrand when he was about 32 years old.  My grandfather had told us the name change was because his father had worked as a coachman for the King of Sweden, who changed his name because there were so many Anderssons in his employ.  My aunt has a glass cane, or scepter, about 42 inches long, that my grandfather said his father had used when he was a royal coachman.  I have found through church records that Anders was a kusk for about a year in the parish of Övergran in 1883.  At that time his name did change to Ekstrand.  Before and after he was listed as a drang and lived in other parishes. He left for America in 1891.
My questions are: 1. Does anyone know if there was a palace or any royal household in Övergran at that time?
2. Is anyone familiar with such glass canes, or scepters? I know they were used by men as accessories during Victorian times, but this one is very long and not crook-necked.
3.  Is there anywhere I can look to find any other reason for my g/grandfather's name change?

[Christina Backman]

No royal palace or household in Övergran. There is a country house, Katrinedal, which might have employed a coachman.  
 
The glass cane sounds to me like the sort of cane that in late Victorian times was used as a decorative support for potted plants.
 
With the number of Anderssons around it was certainly a blessing if one of them acquired another name. Also it was usual for employees in  better households to get themselves a proper surname and often the surname would be derived from the name of a parish, village or farm.

[Marilyn Weeber]

Thank you, Christina.  Do you know where I could get any more information about the country house?
I never heard of glass canes as plant supports, but that sounds likely. There have been several American canes like this Swedish one on auction sites, but their uses were not mentioned.

[Christina Backman]

Try the husförhörslängd for Övergran and the appropriate date.

[Marilyn Weeber]

I found the record of my g/grandfather's stay in Övergran, but nothing else.  The other records for the town are earlier, but maybe if I persist in looking through them all, I'll find some notation about the country house.  Thank you.
Marilyn

[Marilyn Weeber]

Actually, the records show Anders was in the village of Kivinge, if that makes any difference.
Marilyn

[Christina Backman]

In the nearby parish of Husby Sjutolft there is a rather grand country house called Ekolsund. It used to be owned by the kings of Sweden but was sold by Gustav III inb 1785. If your ancestor worked there as a coachman it seems reasonable that he should have taken the name Ekstrand. This would fit in more or less with your family traditions thpough he would not of course actually have been employed by a king.

[Marilyn Weeber]

Thank you!  That sounds very possible!  Now if I can just find out about the cane....
Thank you so much for helping me find the Ekstrand connection!  I appreciate it very much!
Marilyn